


Flowers for the Dead (and the Living)

by BroomballKraken



Category: Bravely Default (Video Game) & Related Fandoms, Bravely Default II
Genre: Chapter 3 Spoilers, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29852502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BroomballKraken/pseuds/BroomballKraken
Summary: Galahad makes frequent visits to his sister's grave, and most of the time, he is not alone in doing so. If it were anyone else, he would dislike the company, but he found that Martha's presence did wonders for thawing out the bitterness that had settled deep within his heart.
Relationships: Galahad/Martha
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	Flowers for the Dead (and the Living)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galahad returns to Rimedhal to visit Gladys’s grave a month after he learned of her passing. To his surprise, he is not the only one with plans to visit his sister on this day.

Galahad had spent most of his life growing up in the temperate climate of Wiswald, so he was unaccustomed to the bitter cold of Rimedhal. He was a bit numb to the biting winds now, however, due to the bitter chill that had overtaken his broken heart ever since he learned of his sister’s death.

Snow crunched beneath his heavy footsteps as he crossed the empty graveyard, and tears were already streaming down his face by the time he stopped in front of Gladys’s headstone. He placed the bouquet of flowers that he was holding in front of it, and when he stood back up, he lifted a shaky hand to the headstone to brush off the snow that had accumulated on it. This was his second trip to visit her grave, and the emotional wounds that he had tried to mend this past month reopened just like that.

Galahad’s broad shoulders heaved as he stood there in the lightly-falling snow, trying to catch his breath as he sobbed uncontrollably into his hands. It was so, so hard on him when he found out that Gladys had died, but what really drove the knife through his heart was learning what terrible things she had done, and how many people in Rimedhal had hated her. Seeing that some people regarded her as a hero in the end made him feel a bit better, but now he was hung up on his own failures as a brother.

Maybe if he had been able to visit her more, he could have seen the changes in her before it was too late. Or maybe he could have even stopped whoever had manipulated her when she was at her most vulnerable. The guilt bearing down on him was suffocating, and made his already festering emotional wounds even more agonizing.

Galahad heard the crunching of snowy footsteps behind him, and he ignored them...that is, until the steps stopped right beside him. He glanced at the newcomer out of the corner of his tear-filled eyes, and caught a glimpse of long, brown hair. Ah, it was someone he knew well.

Martha knelt down in front of Gladys’s grave, placing her own small arrangement of flowers next to Galahad’s, and she clasped her hands together in a silent prayer. She stayed quiet when she stood up, and Galahad continued to cry next to her.

Galahad didn’t know how long they stood like that, but eventually his sobbing ceased as he cried himself out. He took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly, and he removed his glasses so that he could run his arm over his face to wipe away the remaining tears. Only then did Martha turn to him, and a small smile crossed her face.

“Hello, Galahad. I didn’t know you were going to be visiting again so soon.”

“Ah, yes...well…” Galahad started, letting out an exhausted sigh, “I just...feel like I need to visit more often, to make up for not doing so when Gladys was alive…”

“Oh, I see.” Martha’s brow creased as her smile was replaced with a frown. “You really shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You did what you could.”

“I...guess.”

“But I am glad to see you, Galahad! I was a bit worried about you when you went back to Wiswald.”

A smile threatened to cross Galahad’s face at that. Martha really was a wonderful person. She had been the one to deliver the unfortunate news about Gladys’s fate to him, and she had helped console him, even when he was stubbornly trying to push her and the others away. Some of the things she had said had given him the strength to keep on living his life, for Gladys’s sake.

“I’m...still struggling, and a lot to be honest. But…” Galahad actually smiled a bit this time, even if it felt lackluster. “What you said to me, the last time I was here, has helped me cope with this loss a bit.”

“Me?” Martha blinked at him and tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Like...when you said that you could never hate Gladys, even after all of the terrible things she had done...those words really meant a lot to me, so thank you, Martha.”

“Oh, no need to thank me! I was just speaking the truth, you know.” Martha giggled, and Galahad felt his cheeks heat up; her laugh really was a beautiful sound. Her gaze wandered to Gladys’s headstone, and his followed, his throat tightening up when he read the words inscribed with the stone again.

“Gladys was a good person, deep down,” Martha continued as she closed her eyes, a thoughtful look on her face, “Her grief and anger at your parent’s deaths was taken advantage of by some awful people and she was led astray. She...really was trying to make up for what she had done by the end.”

“Don’t get me wrong, though.” She looked back at Galahad and shook her head. “I’m not trying to excuse her actions or anything. It just...puts things into a different perspective, I suppose.”

Galahad watched Martha silently for a moment, and he let out a brief chuckle. Martha’s face lit up at that, and Galahad felt a bit of the weight of his grief lift from his shoulders. She really was an insightful, kind person, and Galahad really couldn’t thank her enough for what she had done for him.

An idea suddenly popped into his head, and Galahad crouched down in front of the grave, gently picking up one of the flowers from his bouquet. Standing back up, he turned to Martha and reached up to tuck the flower behind her ear.

“What are you doing?” Martha asked, her eyes going wide.

“I just...want to thank you, again, for being here for me, and for watching over Gladys while I was away.” He felt a bit embarrassed by his words, and he averted his gaze and rubbed at the back of his neck.

“But these flowers...they’re for her?”

Galahad smiled and reached down to gently take her hands in his. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sharing with you, Martha. I just...really want you to know how much I appreciate you.”

“Oh Galahad! You’re such a sweetheart!” Martha smiled as she gave his hands a squeeze. “I just know Gladys is watching over you, and is very proud of the man you’ve become.”

“I...really hope that you’re right.”

Galahad smiled back at her, and suddenly became very aware of the fact that he was still holding her hands. His face flushed and he quickly let go, clearing his throat as he turned to face Gladys’s grave again.

“Do you want to stay longer?” Martha asked, seeming unfazed by his flustered reaction.

“Yes, I think I will.”

“Okay!” Martha suddenly hugged his arm and lay her head against his shoulder. “I’ll stay too. As long as you need me to.”

Galahad’s heartbeat quickened at her boldness, but the warmth and closeness that she offered to him was very much appreciated. He responded to her surprise hug by leaning his head over to rest on top of hers, and they spent the rest of the day talking about whatever came to their minds, while keeping his beloved sister company. The icy cold of the grief that Galahad held within his heart began to thaw, and was replaced with an inexplicable feeling of comfort...and Martha had everything to do with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Galahad so much and his side quest just ripped my heart in two. Also my brainworms just jumped all over the cuteness potential of Galahad/Martha, so here I am peddling my obscure NPC ship content to anyone curious enough to read it lmao Anyway, thanks for reading!


End file.
